Legal Malpractice Newsroom

Missouri Legal Malpractice Report

The largest proportion of all claims closed in 2005 and in the past 10 years involved the commencement of the legal action or proceeding.  Failure to know or ascertain deadlines correctly was the most common reason stated for filing a claim in 2005.   This alleged error also generated the largest number of claims over the 10 year span with  488 closed claims.  Of all claims paid during 2005, 45 percent were settled before filing suit or demanding hearing on the alleged malpractice.
  
In the last two sections of the indemnity analysis, years admitted to practice and insured/claimant relationship are also reported.  The three spans of years admitted to practice are:  under 4 years, 4 to 10 years and more than 10 years.  Ninety-five percent of losses in 2005 occurred among attorneys with more than 10 years of practice.  The insured's relationship to the claimant is partitioned into four subclasses: free legal service, non-client, member of pre-paid legal plan and client other than free legal service or pre-paid legal plan.  Eighty-five percent of 2005 claims occurred in the category of client other than free legal service or member of pre-paid legal plan.

Only eight companies reported writing legal malpractice insurance and submitted closed claim data in Missouri for 2005.   The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company controlled at least 89 percent of the legal malpractice insurance market in this state.